In the field of animal vaccination, in particular the vaccination of small pets, vaccines are presented in small-size vials which are sold in boxes containing a plurality of vials and the information relating to these vaccines is written on selfadhesive seals presented on a common support. By way of example, in the case of a bivalent vaccine, a seal or label formed from two parts, each of which relates to one of the valency (each immunogen) the veterinarian has to fix to the animal's vaccination card, is provided.
This separate presentation is a hindrance to the satisfactory management of vaccination cards, given that, for example, the vials of vaccine are generally kept chilled in a refrigerator and the seals are stored separately. There is thus high risk of the vaccine and the seal which are used not matching up, which may be a hindrance to satisfactory monitoring of the animal's health.
In point of fact, this separate presentation method is a result of the need which existed to have available seals of sufficient surface area to bear all the required information, the vials, like other packaging methods or similar containers such as ampoules, syringe bodies, etc., being, furthermore, of very small size. Another argument was the ease of use of these seals, their detachment being particularly easy and reliable when they are presented on a flexible support, which is not necessarily the case on a rigid support and, more particularly, on a support with a curved surface and of small size.
The prior art comprises embodiments in which a label with a detachable part is affixed on the support. In these embodiments, a non-adhesive sheet, such as a silicone-coated paper, prevents the detachable part from sticking to the support.
According to European Patent Application EP-A-0,284,703, a selfadhesive label is known, for example, equipped with at least one fixed part and with a detachable part of which the adhesive surface is protected by a sheet of silicone-coated paper which is continued beyond the edge of the label in order to form a pull tab for detaching the silicone-coated sheet/detachable part assembly. In a particular embodiment, the silicone-coated paper is itself selfadhesive and there is thus no tab as in the first embodiment.
According to French Patent Application FR-A-2,634,931, a label of this type is also known, in which the detachable part is cut from the fixed part and is equipped on its free side with a projecting pull tab, and in which the non-adhesive sheet, such as silicone-coated paper, has a surface area greater than that of the detachable part so as to extend over a short distance under the region, of the fixed part, which surrounds the detachable part. When this part is detached, the non-adhesive sheet remains on the support. This embodiment requires the detachable part to be arranged on one side of the fixed part while being surrounded by the latter on three sides, which limits the surface area for the presentation of information.
European Patent Application EP-A-0,463,193 describes a selfadhesive label of which the length is greater than the circumference of the support, so that the detachable part is applied over a region, of the label itself, which has been subjected to a surface treatment, so as to act as the customary silicone-coated sheet. There may be two detachable parts, each of them having a corner zone devoid of adhesive, this zone serving as a grip for detachment.